Finding yourself under attack by bees is a frightening experience, and is certainly not a position that anyone would ever want to be in. We, ourselves, have encountered our own share of experiences with bees and our story is below.

My Nurse and I were setting up our equipment and began to repair the first bicycle at one of our customer’s home in Boca Raton when we were suddenly attacked by KILLER BEES! They appeared out of nowhere and there must have been thousands of them zoning in on us. Our customer was not home so there was no way for us to take shelter. We promptly called our customer to inform her that the entire neighborhood was swarming with bees and to be careful when she arrived back home. During this moment, I was stung four different times in a matter of seconds. After speaking with our client, we quickly packed up the bikes and all of our equipment and high-tailed it out of there. Seven blocks down the road and to our surprise the bees were still around us and it was crazy. I was stung two more times before finally finding a safe location to finish the repairs. After completing the repairs and returning the bikes, we took off and headed back home but not before I was stung two additional times. I am relieved to say that I am not allergic to bee stings but they were agonizing to deal with.

I am not telling you this story to make you afraid of bees, but to raise caution and share information on how to deal with this type of situation. With the help of your local bicycle repair shop in Boca Raton, FL, though, you can be prepared if this is a situation you ever encounter.

Bees and Their Hives

Bees are willing to protect their young and their honey at all costs, and if this routine is disturbed in any way, they will go on the defensive, looking to sting. External sensory stimulants such as loud noises, perfumes or other strong odors and shiny objects are just some of the things that will make bees feel as if their hive is in danger.

How To Protect Yourself From A Swarm

If you are ever under attack from a bee swarm, run in a straight line, preferably into the wind. Africanized bees are slow fliers, and most healthy individuals can safely out run them, with the wind making it difficult for them to give chase. While you are running, cover your face with your shirt or your arms so as to protect your eyes and other areas of your head. As you are running, do not attempt to swat at the bees. Not only will this slow you down as you run, but the smell of crushed bees attracts more bees, which will make the situation worse.

While running, be on the lookout for the nearest indoor shelter that you can take cover in. This could be in your house, garage or even your car. If there isn’t any suitable shelter available to you, use any kind of cover you can find—such as a blanket, layers of clothes or a sleeping bag—to conceal yourself. Water should be avoided as a cover area, as the bees will simply wait until you come up for air to continue attacking.

If You Have Been Stung

To remove the stinger, use your fingernail or some type of straight edged object to scrape the stinger out at an angle. If you try to pull the stinger out with tweezers or with your fingers, this will only cause more venom to be released into the area. As soon as you are safe, call both 911 for medical attention and the police to alert them of the swarm. On average, an adult can safely sustain 7 to 10 stings per every pound of body weight. This means that you could potentially be stung around 1,100 times and make it out relatively unharmed. However, if you have been stung more than 15 times, or are feeling ill, you should seek out medical attention. This is particularly true for someone that has a known allergy or suspects they might be allergic to bee stings.

All cyclists know how important it is to find ways to coexist with nature, and now that you know how to protect yourself against a bee attack, you can continue to ride with confidence. Visit us at Bicycle Doctor Inc. – House Calls, the premier bicycle repair shop in Boca Raton, FL, so we can make sure you and your bike have everything you need for your ride. Give us a call or come visit today.